Gooseberry meringue pie

1 hour 30 minutes

serves 8

Easy

This gooseberry and elderflower meringue pie is a wonderful twist on lemon meringue pie and is a great dessert to make when gooseberries are in season. The bought shortcrust pastry makes the recipe much more straightforward too

Method

Step 1

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. line a 22cm pie dish or tart tin with the pastry and bake blind for about 20 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and lightly browned. Turn the oven down to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2.

Step 2

Put the caster sugar, gooseberries and 275ml water in a pan and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes until the gooseberries are just soft (you can add more sugar at this point). Stir in the cordial. Drain the liquid into a small pan and use 2 tbsp to make a paste with the cornflour, then return to the rest of the liquid, stirring to dissolve. Bring to a simmer and stir until it thickens. Beat in the yolks and butter and stir in the gooseberries. Pour into the tart case.

Step 3

Beat the egg whites until stiff then beat in the sugar in 2 batches. Pipe or spoon the meringue onto the pie and bake for 40 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp.